Hello, my name is Colin and I am a
Content Designer (aka UX Writer or Content Strategist).
I believe that technology, when used responsibly, can make the world a better place. I’d like to help make that happen.
Prior to my work in tech, I wrote a couple of books and founded a small business called Seattle Urban Farm Company (SUFCo), which designs edible gardens.
I developed the SUFCo brand identity, marketing strategy, and managed the company website. I created operational systems from scratch and worked tirelessly to improve our product.
The SUFCo brand has been successful, in part, because we have found ways to talk about complicated subjects in an approachable way.
My work in technology and small business management has taught me that clear, concise, and respectful content is essential to the success of every project.
I have some experience with programming, which allows me to appreciate the implications of content and design decisions on a developer’s work.
I also enjoy timpani, card games, hot sauce, theoretical physics, small boats, box jumps, and paleontology.
Experience
Facebook: Content Designer
•
Writing and editing in-app content for products used by billions of people.
• Creating company-wide content standards.
• Defining and documenting terminology.
• Devising content-focused UI experiments.
The Seattle Times: Garden Columnist
• Writing a twice-monthly horticulture column for Pacific NW Magazine, included in the Sunday edition of the paper.
Storey Publishing and Mountaineers Books: Author
Co-author of 3 books:
• Food Grown Right, In Your Backyard: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Food at Home (2012).
• High-Yield Vegetable Gardening: Grow More of What You Want (2015).
• Grow More Food: A Vegetable Gardener’s Guide to Getting the Biggest Harvest From Any Space. (2022).
Colin McCrate Design: Content and Product Designer
• Writing and editing digital content to meet business and user goals.
• Creating style guides and microcopy for small businesses and nonprofits.
• Conducting user research via: contextual interviews, useability testing, card sorting, paper prototyping.
• Developing information architecture, site maps, wireframes, and visual design for websites and mobile applications.
Seattle Urban Farm Company: Owner and Lead Designer
• Developed brand identity, style guidelines, website design, and marketing strategy.
• Design lead on several hundred landscape projects including residential and commercial work.
• Managed workflow for a broad range of services including consultation, design, installation, and maintenance.
